Pride Lines in their own words 2

You're going to have blow this up a little to see this but it's worth it.

One more thing, I know I am going to get some letters saying "I thought you liked Rich Art or JAD or Jimmy Cohen or McCoy." I like all standard gauge, regardless of manufacturer.

But here's one thing I see missing out of our hobby: we need to take a very holistic view toward manufacturers. Competition is good for consumers. This is usually true except when competitors don't exist because the market is too small.

The standard gauge market is small and we need every manufacturer we can get. These folks can't look at themselves as competing for finite dollars, eventhough that's true. Any manufacturer in the market helps expand the market and is most likely not taking food out of another's mouth.

Here's the thing; the supply for standard gauge is very small and the demand is small albeit not as price sensitive as other markets. When a supplier exits the market it makes the existing products more expensive (less new products entering the market), reduces selection and eventually contracts demand. Price can become untenable. When a market is this small competition from other forms of entertainment such as video games, computers and HO trains highjacks potential newcomers.

You want to see 200 series cabooses for $3k with no alternative? Let manufacturing exit. You want to be playing with trains on a computer instead of in-person in 2025? Nope.

Here's the bottom line: we need to take a holistic view of the standard gauge and prewar market. Unless we are belabored by extreme malfeasance on the part of the manufacturer, we need everyone we can get. Preferably in our neck of the woods.

Marc